Communication system supporting Web page creation

ABSTRACT

A communication system includes a server and a facsimile machine. The server includes templates and provides a Web page creation service. The facsimile machine communicates with the server and includes input and output units to input and output text, images, and voice messages. When a creation of a Web page is requested from the facsimile machine to the server, a user is prompted to input text, images, and voice messages to be embedded in a template via a display unit of the facsimile machine. The text, images and voice messages input accordingly are sent to the server as input data, and embedded in the template to complete a Web page on the server.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of Invention

[0002] The invention relates to a communication system which supportsthe creation of Web pages mainly used on the Internet.

[0003] 2. Description of Related Art

[0004] Recently, many individual users have opened their web sitescontaining various kinds of contents on the Internet. Web pages can bebrowsed not only on personal computers but also on facsimile machinesand cellular phones that have Internet connection functions through theuse of services called L-mode introduced by NTT-East and NTT-West andi-mode introduced by NTT DoCoMo.

[0005] On the contrary, to create a Web page, users have to have theexpertise to operate applications designed specifically for Web pagecreation. Some of conventional facsimile machines have a function tobrowse Web pages and a function to create Web pages. However, it is noteasy to create Web page on such facsimile machines.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] The invention provides a communication system in which a Web pageis easily created using a communication apparatus such as a facsimilemachine and a cellular phone.

[0007] In one exemplary aspect of the invention, the communicationsystem may include an information processing apparatus that has aspecified template for Web page creation and supports Web page creationand a communication apparatus that exchanges various data with theinformation processing apparatus. The communication apparatus mayinclude an input unit and an output unit to input and output at leastone of text data, image data, and voice data, a Web page creationrequesting unit that sends a request for Web page creation to theinformation processing apparatus and an input information sending unitthat sends text data, image data, and/or voice data inputted, via theinput unit, in response to messages from the information processingapparatus. The information processing apparatus may include an inputinformation guiding unit that sends the messages to the communicationapparatus indicating input information items to be embedded in thetemplate in response to the request for a Web page from thecommunication apparatus and a Web page creating unit that embeds thetext data, the image data, and/or the voice data in the template.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] An embodiment of the invention will be described in detail withreference to the following figures wherein:

[0009]FIG. 1 is a block diagram conceptually showing a communicationsystem according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0010]FIG. 2 is a plan view of a front panel of a facsimile machine;

[0011]FIG. 3 is a block diagram of general structures for a server andthe facsimile machine;

[0012]FIG. 4 shows an example of a data structure of a template;

[0013]FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a Web page creation process;

[0014]FIG. 6 shows an example of a screen display associated with theWeb page creation;

[0015]FIG. 7 shows an example of a screen display associated with theWeb page creation;

[0016]FIG. 8 shows an example of a screen display associated with theWeb page creation;

[0017]FIG. 9 shows an example of a screen display associated with theWeb page creation;

[0018]FIG. 10 shows an example of a screen display associated with theWeb page creation;

[0019]FIG. 11 shows an example of a screen display associated with theWeb page creation;

[0020]FIG. 12 shows an example of a screen display associated with theWeb page creation; and

[0021]FIG. 13 shows an example of a screen display associated with theWeb page creation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0022] A preferred embodiment of the invention will be described indetail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0023]FIG. 1 is a block diagram conceptually showing a communicationsystem according to an embodiment of the invention. FIG. 2 is a planview of a front panel of a facsimile machine. The communication systemis made up of a server A as an information processing apparatus that ismanaged by an Internet service provider and a facsimile machine B thatis able to the server A via the Internet. The server A is a computerprovided with a transaction processing function designed for a Webbrowser preinstalled in the facsimile machine B as a client. The serverA functionally includes a template database 10, a request receiving unit20, a template list providing unit 21, a script processing unit 22, apage data generating unit 23, a confirmation data sending unit 24, and aWeb page registration unit 30. The fax machine B has a microcomputer(not shown) as a control center, and is provided with a facsimilefunction and a telephone function which are performed via a telephoneline, and a client function to view Web pages via the Internet. Such afacsimile machine B includes an operation unit 40, a printing unit 41, adisplay unit 42, a reading unit 43, a voice input unit 44, a voiceoutput unit 45, a request sending unit 50, a template selection unit 51,a command processing unit 52, and a page confirmation unit 53.

[0024]FIG. 3 is a block diagram of general structures for a server andthe facsimile machine. A CPU (central processing unit) 100 controls alloperations of the facsimile machine B. A NCU (network control unit) 110is connected to a public telephone line and perform network control. ARAM (random-access memory) 120 provides a workspace for the CPU 100 andis a storage area for various data. A modem 130 modulates or demodulatesfacsimile data. A ROM (read-only memory) 140 stores programs and datamanipulated by the CPU 100. An EEPROM (electrically erasableprogrammable read only memory) 150 stores various kinds of flags andsetting data. A gate array 160 functions as an interface between the CPU100 and each unit. A CODEC (coder-decoder) 170 encodes or decodesfacsimile data. A DMAC (duobinary multiplexed analogue component) 180writes or reads data mainly to or from the RAM 120. A reading unit 43includes an image sensor and an LED light source and reads an image froma copy. A printing unit 41 produces a print output by an electrographicmethod or an inkjet method. An operation unit 40 includes keys andswitches including a numeric keypad, and transmits an instruction inaccordance with an operation by a user to the CPU 100. A display unit 42includes an LCD display, and displays various kinds of information. ACPU 300 of the server A controls all operations of the server A. A RAM310 provides a workspace for the CPU 300 and is a storage area forvarious data. A ROM 320 stores programs for controlling input and outputoperations. A communication unit 330 conducts communications via theInternet. The following descriptions are made, for the most part, withreference to FIG. 1, which represents functions by the CPU 100 of thefacsimile machine B and the CPU 300 of the server A.

[0025] The server A not only provides Web pages but also includes afunction to support Web page creation. For Web page creation support,templates mainly consisting of Web page basic designs and scriptsdescribing procedures to urge the client to input necessary data areprepared in the template database 10. Varieties of templates, which aredivided into categories such as diary, self-introduction, travel,cooking recipe, and general information, are available. FIG. 4 shows adata structure of a template as an example. As shown in FIG. 4, atemplate is described in HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language), and itssource is divided into a script part and a Web page part. In the scriptpart, a template name indicating a type of template, and a templateidentifier given as a constant to call up the template are declared. Inthe script part, procedures to guide the client to input various datasuch as text, images, and voice messages are also described. The Webpage part comes with text data, image data, and voice data input fromthe client. Specifically, each data is embedded in a character stringassignment represented with a variable prefixed and suffixed with “###”.The template database 10 stores guidance definition files used forguiding data input aside from templates.

[0026] The request receiving unit 20 receives a request for the creationof a Web page from the facsimile machine B as a client, and sendsinstructions to the template list providing unit 21, the scriptprocessing unit 22, and the page data generating unit 23 accordingly.The template list providing unit 21 reads templates from the templatedatabase 10, generates a list of templates, and provides it to thefacsimile machine B. The script processing unit 22 executes a series ofprocedures based on a script described in a template, and captures datasuch as text data, image data, and voice data input from the facsimilemachine B accordingly. The captured data is sent to the page datagenerating unit 23. The page data generating unit 23 embeds dataobtained at the script processing unit 22 in character stringassignments, and generates a Web page. The confirmation data sendingunit 24 sends the Web page generated by the page data generating unit 23as confirmation data to the facsimile machine B. The Web pageregistering unit 30 registers the Web page in the server A or a webserver (not shown) in response to the facsimile machine B.

[0027] On the other hand, the facsimile machine B is provided with afunction as a Web browser. The operation unit 40 transmits aninstruction corresponding to an operation by an user to the requestsending unit 50, the template selecting unit 51, the command processingunit 52, and the page confirmation unit 53. The operation unit 40includes, as shown in FIG. 2, a cursor key 40A, a numeric keypad 40B,function keys 40C of which functions vary according to contents of thedisplay unit 42, and other keys. The printing unit 41 prints images onpaper based on an instruction from the operation unit 40. The displayunit 42 displays various data. Specifically, Web pages as objects andvarious kinds of input selection screens accompanied with Web pagecreation are displayed on the display unit 42. The reading unit 43 scansimages of a copy based on an instruction from the operation unit 40. Thevoice input unit 44 captures a voice through a handset with a built-inmicrophone. The voice output unit 45 outputs the voice via a speakerprovided for the handset or machine body.

[0028] The request sending unit 50 issues a request for creating a Webpage to the server A according to an instruction from the operation unit40. The template selecting unit 51 receives a list of templates sentfrom the template list providing unit 21 of the server A and prompts auser to select a desired template. The command processing unit 52receives a data input request from the script processing unit 22 of theserver A, and sends the script processing unit 22 text data, image data,and voice data, which are input at the operation unit 40, the readingunit 43, the voice input unit 44 by the user. The page confirmation unit53 receives a Web page as confirmation data from the confirmation datasending unit 24, and causes the display unit 42 to display the Web pageor causes the printing unit 41 to print the Web page. This allows theuser to confirm the contents of the Web page. When a determinedregistration operation is conducted, a command to register the Web pageis sent to the server A via the page confirmation unit 53.

[0029] Next, operations of the communication system will be described.

[0030]FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a Web page creation process, andFIGS. 6 to 13 show examples of screens displayed associated with the Webpage creation. In FIG. 5, a process indicated by a solid line isperformed on the facsimile machine B, and a process indicated by adashed line is performed on the server A. The facsimile machine B isconnected to the server A via the Internet, and data exchange isconducted between the facsimile machine B and the server A based on aCGI (Common Gateway Interface) that is typically used on the Internet.

[0031] When a user of the facsimile machine B conducts a specifiedoperation for creating a Web page via the operation unit 40, thefacsimile machine B issues a command for requesting a list of templatesto the server A (S1).

[0032] Accordingly, the server A calls up templates from the templatedatabase 10, creates template list information and answers it to thefacsimile machine B (S2). The template list information includes atemplate name representing a template type, and a template identifier.Additionally, the template list information is stored so that it isdisplayable, for example, via a Web browser.

[0033] When the facsimile machine B receives the template listinformation, the display unit 42 shows a list of templates (S3). Asshown in FIG. 6, the list of templates includes five categories,“Diary”, “Self-introduction”, “Travel”, “Cooking recipe”, and “Generalinformation”. With the operation of the cursor key 40A, a desiredtemplate (a “Self-introduction” template in this case) is selectable.When a function key 40C corresponding to “Preview” is pressed in FIG. 6,the display unit 42 shows the “Self-introduction” template, which is aWeb page in which necessary data has not been input yet, as shown inFIG. 7.

[0034] On the facsimile machine B, when a function key 40C correspondingto “Select” is pressed in FIG. 7, the “Self-introduction” template isselected, and a request for creating a “Self-introduction” Web page isissued with the template identifier to the server A (S4).

[0035] The server A formally issues the template identifier, which isthe base of the “Self-introduction” Web page, to the facsimile machine B(S5).

[0036] When the facsimile machine B receives the formal templateidentifier, the template identifier is stored in the memory (S6).

[0037] The server A requests the facsimile machine B to input data suchas text data, image data, and voice data, which are necessary to beentered in the template, based on a script contained in the template(S7). To be more specific, guidance definition files to teach the user,using text and a voice, to input every item are called up, and sent tothe facsimile machine B in order.

[0038] When the facsimile machine B receives the guidance definitionfiles, a data input screen to guide the user to input necessary dataappears on the display unit 42 (S8). As shown in FIG. 8, the user isrequested to input a photo. The display unit 42 shows a message “Readphoto” with an operation procedure. The photo can be read via thereading unit 43 by placing the photo in position and pressing a functionkey 40C corresponding to “Read”. Then, the user is requested to inputtext for his/her name as shown in FIG. 9. When a function key 40Ccorresponding to “Input” is pressed in FIG. 9, a screen for inputtingcharacters appears as shown in FIG. 10. The facsimile machine B isequipped with a Japanese word processor to display Japanese characters.As should be appreciated, the characters would be different fordifferent countries and for different languages. For example, when“Aoki” (person's name) is typed in Japanese mode, Japanese charactergroups translated from “Aoki” are listed on the screen. When a desiredcharacter group is selected from the list and a function key 40Ccorresponding to “OK” is pressed, it is input. After inputting text, theuser is requested to input a voice message for self-introduction asshown in FIG. 11. The display unit 42 shows a message “Introduceyourself” with an operation procedure. The voice message can be recordedvia the voice input unit 44 by lifting the handset and pressing afunction key 40C corresponding to “Record”. Input screens includinginstruction messages such as “Read photo” are sent with the guidancedefinition files. Messages for operation procedures may be contained inthe guidance definition files with the instruction messages or beprestored in the facsimile machine B. In addition, the instructionmessages may be read by a voice synthesis function of the facsimilemachine B.

[0039] The text, the image, and the voice message input as describedabove are sent, in order, from the facsimile machine B to the server Aas input data (S9).

[0040] Receiving all input data sent from the facsimile machine B, theserver A produces a copy of the template as a Web page, and substitutesthe input data into specified character string assignments in the Webpage (S10). At this time, text data is embedded in a string assignmentcorresponding to characters of the text, and image data and voice dataare inserted into string assignments corresponding to filenames of animage file and a voice file. The image file and the voice file areseparately created, saved and linked to the Web page.

[0041] When the Web page is completed as described above, the server Aprovides the facsimile machine B with a notification that the creationof the Web page has been completed (S11). At this time, the server Asends a page preview screen data in order for the user to preview thecreated Web page on the facsimile machine B.

[0042] When the facsimile machine B receives the page preview screendata, a page preview screen appears on the display unit 42 based on thepage preview screen data (S12). For example, as shown in FIG. 12, amessage “Do you want to preview page you created?” appears on thedisplay unit 42.

[0043] When a function key 40C corresponding to “Yes” is pressed on thefacsimile machine B in FIG. 12, the template identifier stored at S6 isissued to the server A with a command requesting the Web page preview(S13).

[0044] The server A receives the request for the Web page preview,identifies the created Web page based on the template identifier, andsends it as a Web page for preview to the facsimile machine B (S14).

[0045] When the facsimile machine B receives the Web page for preview, apage preview screen appears on the display unit 42 (S15). The contentsof the page preview screen displayed at this time are exactly the Webpage to be released on the Internet. As shown in FIG. 13, the displayunit 42 shows a Web page in which necessary data has been embedded. Forexample, when a specified area is selected, a voice message stored inthe server A as a voice file is called and sent to the facsimile machineB, so that the user can listen to the voice message.

[0046] Finally, when the user presses a function key 40C correspondingto “Register” with the page preview screen being displayed, a command toregister the Web page is issued from the facsimile machine B to theserver A (S16), the created Web page is registered in the server A (S17)in such a manner that the Web page can be viewed through the Internet.This completes the Web page creation process. Similarly, when the userpresses a function key 40C corresponding to “Delete” with the pagepreview screen being displayed, a command to delete the Web page isissued from the facsimile machine B to the server A (S16), the createdWeb page is deleted on the server A side (S17), and this completes theWeb page creation process.

[0047] In short, according to the above communication system, after thecreation of the Web page is requested from the facsimile machine B tothe server A, the user is requested to input text, an image(s), and avoice message(s) in an interactive manner on the facsimile machine B.All the user has to do is just to input data such as text, an image(s),and a voice message(s) following the instructions displayed on thedisplay unit 42, and send it to the server A. The creation of a Web pagecan be completed by embedding input data sent from the facsimile machineB on the server A. In this manner, a Web page including text, images andvoice messages can be easily created just through the use of existingfunctions the facsimile machine B has.

[0048] The facsimile machine B is controlled by a built-inmicrocomputer, and is not equipped with a hard disk and applicationprograms. For this reason, it is impossible to create a Web page on thefacsimile machine B alone. However, as described above, the facsimilemachine B can exchange input data with the server A via the Internet.Therefore, by using the facsimile machine B for input operations,varieties of Web pages can be created.

[0049] The invention is not limited to the above embodiment.

[0050] Web pages may not include all of text, images, and voicemessages. They can contain only one of them. Accordingly, templates maybe prepared provided that they are designed so as to embed text, images,or voice messages alone therein.

[0051] In the above embodiment, the server A is a computer having afunction to provide Web pages, however, it may be just a personalcomputer having a function as a client. In such a case, the personalcomputer may include a Web page creation support program, in which a Webpage finally registered is forwarded from the personal computer toanother server and released and viewed on the server.

[0052] When the facsimile machine B is equipped with a video captureterminal which is connectable to a video camera, the communicationsystem can be configured in such a manner that not only text, images,and voice but also motion data can be input from the video camera andsent to the server A via the facsimile machine B. In such a case, Webpages including motion data can be created on the server A side.

[0053] It should be understood that the invention is not limited in itsapplication to the details of structure and arrangement of partsillustrated in the accompanying drawings. The invention is capable ofother embodiments and of being practiced or performed in various wayswithout departing from the technical idea thereof, based on existing andwell-known techniques among those skilled in the art.

What is claimed is:
 1. A communication system with an information processing apparatus that has a specified template for Web page creation and supports Web page creation and a communication apparatus that exchanges various data with the information processing apparatus, the communication apparatus comprising: an input unit and an output unit that inputs and output at least one of text data, image data, and voice data; a Web page creation requesting unit that sends a request for Web page creation to the information processing apparatus; and an input information sending unit that sends text data, image data, and/or voice data inputted, via the input unit, in response to messages from the information processing apparatus; and the information processing apparatus comprising: an input information guiding unit that sends the messages to the communication apparatus indicating input information items to be embedded in the template in response to the request for a Web page from the communication apparatus; and a Web page creating unit that embeds the text data, the image data, and/or the voice data in the template.
 2. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein the information processing apparatus includes a plurality of templates, sends the templates to the communication apparatus in response to the request for Web page creation, and displays the templates on the output unit of the communication apparatus.
 3. The communication system according to claim 2, wherein the input information items are predetermined inherently in each of the templates, and the Web page creating unit embeds received input information into a template in accordance with the input information items.
 4. The communication system according to claim 3, wherein the information processing apparatus sends a Web page completed by the Web page creating unit, and the communication apparatus displays the completed Web page on the output unit.
 5. The communication system according to claim 3, wherein the Web page creating unit registers a finished Web page.
 6. The communication system according to claim 4, wherein the Web page creating unit registers a finished Web page.
 7. A communication apparatus that can exchange various data with an information processing apparatus that includes a template for a Web page and supports Web page creation, the communication apparatus comprising: an input unit and output unit that inputs and outputs at least one of text data, image data, and voice data; a Web page creation requesting unit that requests the information processing apparatus to create a Web page using the template; and an input information sending unit that sends at least one of text data, image data, and voice data to be embedded in the template inputted, via the input unit, to the information processing apparatus.
 8. The communication apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the information processing apparatus further includes an input information guiding unit that sends messages indicating input information items to be embedded in the template to the communication apparatus, and the input information sending unit sends text data, image data, and/or voice data inputted, via the input unit, in response to the messages from the image processing apparatus.
 9. A Web page creation support system, comprising: an information processing apparatus that includes a data communication unit, the information processing apparatus comprising: a plurality of templates for Web page creation; and an input information guiding unit that provides messages indicating input information items to be embedded in the template; and a communication apparatus that communicates with the information processing apparatus, the communication apparatus comprising: an unit that requests Web page creation to the information processing apparatus; an input unit and an output unit that inputs and outputs at least one of text data, image data, and voice data; and an input information sending unit that sends text data, image data, and/or voice data inputted, via the input unit, to the information processing apparatus, wherein the text data, the image data, and/or the voice data is inputted via the input unit to the information processing apparatus according to the messages from the input information guiding unit, the information processing apparatus sends the templates to the communication apparatus in response to a request for Web page creation from the communication apparatus, the communication apparatus displays the templates on the output unit and selects a desired template, and the information processing apparatus embeds text data, image data, and/or voice data sent from the input information sending unit in the desired template and completes a Web page.
 10. The Web page creation support system according to claim 9, wherein the communication apparatus displays the messages from the input information guiding unit on the output unit.
 11. The Web page creation support system according to claim 10, wherein the information processing apparatus sends a Web page completed by the Web page creating unit, and the communication apparatus displays the completed Web page on the output unit.
 12. A method of creating a Web page via data communication between a server and a client, comprising the steps of: providing the server with a plurality of templates for Web page creation; issuing a signal requesting Web page creation from the client to the server; sending information regarding the templates from the server to the client in response to the request signal; providing the client with a display unit; displaying the information regarding the templates on the display unit; sending messages indicating input information items to be embedded in a template from the server to the client; providing the client with an input unit to input at least one of text data, image data, and voice data in response to the messages; sending the text data, the image data, and/or the voice data from the client to the server; and embedding the text data, the image data, and/or the voice data sent from the client in the template on the server.
 13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising the steps of: sending the template in which data has been embedded from the server to the client; and displaying the template on the display unit.
 14. A computer program that controls a communication apparatus that can exchange various data with an information processing apparatus that includes a template for Web page creation and supports the Web page creation, the computer program comprising: a control program that controls an input unit and output unit that inputs and outputs at least one of text data, image data, and voice data; a Web page creation request program that requests the information processing apparatus to create a Web page using the template; an input information guiding program that sends messages indicating input information items to be embedded in the template to the communication apparatus; and an input information sending program that sends at least one of text data, image data, and voice data to be embedded in the template inputted via the input unit to the information processing apparatus. 